Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho says Chelsea have suffered this season without him.
"Why have Chelsea suffered so much since I left? Because I left," said Mourinho, with a cheeky grin.
He insisted he was joking, but his additional comments underlined the point.
"They know what the good feeling of winning is, and when you have this you don't ever want to have the bad taste of losing," he said. "What's changed is Chelsea won six trophies when I was there, and now in the last one-and-a-half years they've won zero.
"This is the big change, and it causes a disturbance because people get used to winning. Players know what the meaning of winning is. So do the supporters and so does the board.
"When you win and then stop winning, life is not so good and you are not so happy. I still don't think it's a big drama. They can still win trophies this season. They are in a good position, and if it doesn't happen this season they can in the future.
"It seems to be different for Chelsea than other clubs. Chelsea have not won for one-and-a-half years, Arsenal have not won the title for five years. It looks like everything is good at Arsenal, but at Chelsea everything is in bits. Maybe Chelsea has a different, winning character.
"Some managers have a big excuse when they go to a big club. They say 'I need a lot of time to do it'. If you say this, you get protection. If you don't win the title in the first season, or second season, you can keep saying 'I need time'. Sometimes you stay for four or five years, keep not winning, and then keep demanding more time.
"I could never be like this. I live for the risk. I believe you can do it in the first season, and if you do not, you fail. I prefer it like this. I prefer the pressure because that's how I live.
"It is not for me to say if Scolari was given enough time, but when you are at the top five or six clubs in the world you know that time is something you probably are not going to have. If you look at Real Madrid they have sacked managers that won the La Liga that season but not the Champions League. This is where modern football is, and we as managers of top clubs have to understand this.
"If you want time then Chelsea, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Inter Milan are not the clubs to be at. The pressure from the fans and chairman is intense, but in return you are given a world class club and the best players in the world to manage.
"If you spend a lot of money on a car you expect great things from that car. I spend a big chunk on my car and I expect it to drive well, I expect it to be comfortable and I expect it to look good.
"The same goes with Roman Abramovich. He has invested a lot and he wants results. He isn't an unfair man but he wants return for his investment. Anybody who thinks Chelsea is a hobby for him is seriously deluded. He doesn't just sit in the stands after games, he comes in the dressing room and interacts with the players on a one-to-one basis.
"He was very generous with me while I was at Chelsea with the players I wanted but in return I gave him two Premier League titles. Like anything in life - when you spend money on something you want to see a return. That's not just football, it's a basic principal of life."
